I have played a couple of shifters in fact they are one of my favorite races, but others (flgs, players, forum posters) have expressed views that it’s a poorly designed race. I could care less whether the shifter is the pentacle of playable race design. I’m in it for looks, fluff, story, and I love to play barbarians, rangers, and wizards (neither here nor there in this case). However I have been mulling 2 questions over. 1. Are the Shifters a viable/playable race? 2. Are they a well designed race?
Quick answers: 1. Yes, almost everything is, if not a player will try to make it into one. 2. Probably not.
1. Shifting comes across as a neat quirk that has a very minute amount of usefulness if not enhanced by feats.
2. It’s a racial ability that sucks up feats. These feats do enhance shifting and are useful, but tend to draw resources away that could be used elsewhere.
3. Natural weapons have time limits due to shifting. This has been a problem for myself. I would hope there wasn’t more encounters than my allotted shifts. If there were I would lose all the feats I invest and my main source for damage.
4. Natural weapons gain through shifting are weak compared to crafted weapons. My natural weapons will always be weaker than forged weapons. Yes feats due help, but I could use those same feats on a forged weapon to make it more effective. I’m not a power gamer, but this is a turn off. I like the idea of natural were-ish fighting style that will reflect a shifter’s heritage, but I always feel penalized when trying to go this route.
5. Not a huge factor, but lack of support. It seems WotC saw fit to give all its love to the warforged. Like I said, not a huge thing I have the same complaint about the lack of backing for the barbarian.
6. And Lastly. It feels a lot like the creator went hmmm lets give the barbarian a race. The shifter synergizes extremely well with the barbarian, and is a bit gimped in other areas.
Yes I know these problems are not all across the board when it comes to the shifter builds, but these are some things that IMO I would like to see improved. Depending on which heritage you pick I’m sure the shifter works great or at least how and when you need it to, but that is one of the reasons I’m so found of the shifter is it’s a very season to taste race.
In the end I still love the shifter. It’s a playable, fun, fluff filled, class that has a niche. I’m sure most power gamers will turn their nose up at the shifter and its feat needs, but it’s not always about crunch. It gives a harsher side of nature than we get with the tradition elves, but a more refined view than what orcs seem to give. Its design could use work. It has tons of flaws, but hey that’s just called character and house rules.
I would like any suggestion in how to improve upon the shifter as a race. I myself am thinking of ruling that they have natural weapons or some natural improvement (pending which heritage you pick) all the time and shifting will increase what you normally have, instead of gaining everything when you shift.
Fizz
|
I think warforged & shifters have about the same amount of support each, actually. And as far as shifter combatants go, weretouched master is just plain lethal. And that's in the setting book. I'd have loved to have seen something non-stereotypical for shifters (like a specialized paladin or wizard prestige class) but correctly built they're pretty dangerous. Also, keep in mind that when un-shifted and if given a haircut, they pass really well for normal humans. Being able to walk into a situation where weapons aren't allowed and then BECOME a weapon is not to be underestimated.
I think warforged & shifters have about the same amount of support each, actually. And as far as shifter combatants go, weretouched master is just plain lethal. And that's in the setting book. I'd have loved to have seen something non-stereotypical for shifters (like a specialized paladin or wizard prestige class) but correctly built they're pretty dangerous. Also, keep in mind that when un-shifted and if given a haircut, they pass really well for normal humans. Being able to walk into a situation where weapons aren't allowed and then BECOME a weapon is not to be underestimated.
Weretouched master got a massive nerf now you just turn into your heritage animal of choice. On the coverage thing changlings seem to be everywhere. I think the shifters and warforge need to make a union.
Fizz
|
|
I think warforged & shifters have about the same amount of support each, actually. And as far as shifter combatants go, weretouched master is just plain lethal. And that's in the setting book. I'd have loved to have seen something non-stereotypical for shifters (like a specialized paladin or wizard prestige class) but correctly built they're pretty dangerous. Also, keep in mind that when un-shifted and if given a haircut, they pass really well for normal humans. Being able to walk into a situation where weapons aren't allowed and then BECOME a weapon is not to be underestimated.Weretouched master got a massive nerf now you just turn into your heritage animal of choice. On the coverage thing changlings seem to be everywhere. I think the shifters and warforge need to make a union.
Fizz
I stand by my "become a weapon" remark. Sometimes surprise is worth more than raw force. And if you think the shifters & warforged have it bad, look at the poor Kalashtar!
|
|
I was trying to optimize for a while a shifter that would eventually have claws equivalent to large greatswords.
I love the fluff of the race, but their design kind of pigeon-holes them into a few classes, same for the Warforged. I like races that have a bit more versatility and generally take Catfolk over Shifters.
|
Races of Eberron gives a lot of shifter feats. I've never played a shifter but I have DM'ed one (for a while - she died) and, as a fighter-type, they are fine. The natural weapon thing is not the only available trait, of course, and the increase in speed or AC is not to be sneered at either. But I think it is true that they are sub-optimal for anything much other than a fighter, ranger or barbarian, and maybe druid.
if you are worried about balance in races, you might want to check this out: Race Creation cookbook. If goves points to any and all possible abilities and proves without a shadow of doubt how much more powerful Elves are over every other standard race in D&D.
|
|
if you are worried about balance in races, you might want to check this out: Race Creation cookbook. If goves points to any and all possible abilities and proves without a shadow of doubt how much more powerful Elves are over every other standard race in D&D.
Not that the product doesn't look interesting, but I've always thought that the powerhouse races were dwarves (roughly 2 bazillion racial abilities) and gnomes (spell-like abilities)